crimesc324 Loc: West Palm Beach, Florida

I usually use auto WB but from time to time change the setting to get different effects on the image. It is fun and results in some "interesting" results

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Overall, l mostly shoot in AWB ( I think it does a good job), There has been several situations, where I did a custom white balance (was happy with the outcome - actually set the degrees in Kelvin manually).

nekon Loc: Carterton, New Zealand

auto wb ,like anything else auto is useless-learn to understand white balance:

Where, with film you either shot print film in daylight or with flash indoors, and with slide film, you used daylight or tungsten film, or used compensating filters with these. White balance is Digital’s version-you select a white balance based on the condition of the light you are using, so the camera’s meter allows for white to photograph as white
Auto white balance does a reasonable job most of the time, but it cannot cope in some situations-especially when subject is in deep shadow. You need to know when to use the white balance settings for all situations, and this table will help you understand: ( degrees Kelvin is a means of determining colour temperature)

Sunrise/sunset 2400-3000 Kelvin……………………Use Auto white balance
Tungsten lighting 3200-3500 Kelvin Note…( these settings are for studio white balance for tungsten-Use tungsten/Incandescent white balance) For Domestic tungsten lighting-2500 - 3200-you will generally get better results using auto white balance
Fluorescent lighting 4000 Kelvin …………… Use fluorescent White balance
Early morning/afternoon sun 4000 Kelvin…….Use auto white balance/ --fluorescent white balance
(Magenta filter) to counter greenish cast on skin from foliage if under trees or on really green grass
Noon sun/Sun overhead…5000-6500 Kelvin…………………….use Cloudy White balance
Flash photography in daylight 5500 Kelvin ………………………Use Flash White balance
Deep shade………………….6500 Kelvin…………………………Use cloudy/shade white balance
Shade in daylight 7500 Kelvin ………………………………......Use shade white balance
Heavy overcast, very dark shade 8000 to 10000 Kelvin………Use shade white balance plus 81a-85c glass filter

To set custom White balance: (Nikon)

Select a neutral coloured object to set your white balance
It’s best to avoid using a white target. The camera prefers grey.( Print yourself a grey card: In photoshop- File> New
Click on background square in toolbox
select: red 127; green 127; blue 127 from color chart- Print)


In white balance menu select "Custom"> "Preset"
select "measure"
Press shutter release halfway to return to shooting mode
press wb button until a blinking "Pre" appears in control panel and viewfinder
frame reference (grey card) so it fills the frame
and press shutter release all the way down (Camera won't take picture)
If camera was able to register a value for white balance "Good" will flash in control panel and GD will flash in viewfinder
If lighting is too dark or bright "no g d" will flash in viewfinder and control panel


If you use white in direct sunlight you'll always get a "No Gd" response from the camera because the Matrix meter is rendering it white instead of grey. Thus the trick is to select the centre-weighted meter when using a white reference in bright light and you'll get "Good" from a camera. Remember to set back to Matrix metering as soon as you're done.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I shoot RAW. WB has no effect at the time of exposure. I take care of WB in PP, if it is needed at all. 99% of the time it isn't.
--Bob

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

Yesterday, I was at a lecture at B&H on Landscape photography by Tim Cooper. He said to never use auto white balance outside, but to use daylight,cloudy etc match the conditions to the white balance.

Bobbee

Mine is set to Auto, When I have a set up I use a card and adjust in PS/Bridge.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I leave it on auto. I make any adjustments in post.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

I leave it in auto but I shoot RAW so it doesn't matter

doduce Loc: Holly Springs NC

What he said. :-)

roberts41 Loc: Atlanta, GA

I see this as the best solution, since adjusting WB in Lightroom is so easy. Of course, you have to shoot in RAW.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

As you can see already setting WB is something very subjective and since each person is different each one usually does what he or she considers offers the best result.
If shooting JPEG you are pretty well limited when setting your WB but with RAW you can change it at will.
Modern cameras do a pretty good job with Auto WB and many photographers go with that. I seldom use Auto but that is me and I cannot speak on behalf of others.
My regular setting outdoors is SUNNY WB. If it is cloudy I still go with that setting but I know a color correction will be in order, usually toward the warm side.
Indoor it is best to do a custom WB unless there is a large contribution from ambient light in which case I use SUNNY again but I am ready for an adjustment if needed to during editing.
If you can see the shift of colors it does not matter what WB you set in camera since you will be able to make the correction during editing.
Shoot RAW and use Auto and simply change the WB if needed during editing.

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

Normally, Auto-WB is fine; but often use an ExpoDisc and/or a gray card. It depends. Sometimes, WB correction in post-processing is needed to make a photo "pop". It can also ruin a picture. Example: eliminating beautiful "golden hour" light.

pinupphoto Loc: Pennsylvania

You basically have incandescent, florescent, bright sun, cloudy, and shade WB settings. But I FREQUENTLY use other settings than what auto or even the situation calls for. For instance, it can be bright sun, but if you are shooting under trees, you'd THINK either the bright sun or shade settings would be best. Not so. The sun shining through the bright green leaves puts a heavy green cast to the pic, so the "florescent" setting works best in that situation. I come across anomalies like this ALL the time.

billgr Loc: UK

Just bought one of these, not used in anger yet but just messing about seems to be ok.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0064RV5ES/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

If you can get a good shot of the moon try changing the wb. Since everything else is black the only thing that changes is the moon. I'm sure you've heard "Once in a blue moon". Changing the wb will produce a beautiful blue moon.